


Lions

by EthanTheAnnus



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Dave | Technoblade and Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Family, Gen, Hugs, Hybrids, Libraries, Light Angst, Minecraft, animal facts, dove hybrid phil, i legit researched stuff for this fic guys, lion hybrid tommy, raven hybrid wilbur, sibling dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27918202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthanTheAnnus/pseuds/EthanTheAnnus
Summary: In lion prides, the young will so often be seen practising fighting, with each other or with older lions. If it’s the latter, the older lions will tend to pretend to be hurt by their bites to encourage strength in the younger.Techno knows little about lions.-OR-Techno tries to better understand his youngest brother.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 1168





	Lions

**Author's Note:**

> i had a blast writing this!!! im currently working on a piece of how i pictured tommy while writing this, and I'll link it when it's done :)

In lion prides, the young will so often be seen practising fighting, with each other or with older lions. If it’s the latter, the older lions will tend to pretend to be hurt by their bites to encourage strength in the younger.

Techno knows little about lions. In fact, he knows little about any species, save for two; the same two that created him. 

He knows about humans, and that they’re more empathetic than most animals, with complex emotions. They’re the only creatures with any sense of right and wrong, good and evil.

He knows about pigs, and that they’ve got a similar level of intelligence to a human toddler and good memories. The mothers sing to their young, and they’re some of the cleanest animals.

But Techno doesn’t know anything about lions; not anything useful or important, anyway. He knows they live in prides, and that they hunt for their food. They’re predators. They roar.

Nothing about their social structure or behaviours, though.

“Come on, bitch,” Tommy says, pulling him back into the moment. Techno’s youngest brother, a lion hybrid, crouches low, a sword gripped in his hands. His thin tail swishes behind him, and he’s grinning in a way that shows off his sizable canines.

If this wasn’t a practice bout, and if Tommy wasn’t his sibling, Techno would almost feel like he’s being hunted.

“You’re not giving up?” Techno asks, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve beaten you, like, eight times now.”

“This time I’m going to win,” Tommy states confidently. Techno snorts and lifts his sword from where he had it rested against a tree.

“I doubt it.”

Tommy takes the first swing, and Techno deflects it confidently. The younger lets out a low growl, more force behind his next attack. Techno almost stumbles back from the force of it, but manages to hold his ground.

Moments later, it’s over; Techno attacks, neatly knocking Tommy’s sword from his grasp and bringing his own sword up under the younger’s chin. Tommy growls, his tail thrashing, ears laid flat against his head and eyes burning with a promise of vengeance, but he accepts his defeat.

“You’re improving,” Techno says, stepping back.

“Doesn’t feel like it,” Tommy mutters, the hint of a snarl in his tone.

Techno truly doesn’t know anything about lions. He knows a little about doves, and a little about ravens, thanks to his dad and his other brother, but birds are simpler.

For a raven hybrid, Wilbur, surprisingly, likes music, and to sing. Phil, a dove hybrid, is ever a warm presence, armed with hugs and kind words at every moment. Birds are simpler.

Tommy isn’t a bird. 

He’s a predator, plain and simple, and Techno’s not sure how to admit he’s in over his head trying to work him out. Sometimes, Tommy seems overly affectionate, bordering on clingy. Other times, he’ll snap at anyone who gets too close.

“It’s harder to see improvement in yourself than in others,” Techno replies. “Besides, I think most of the time you just need to growl at your enemy. One look at those teeth of yours will at least unnerve them.”

Tommy grins, the very teeth Techno had referred to painfully visible, sharp and large and deadly. “I am intimidating.”

“Let’s just say I wouldn’t like to be the prey you’re hunting,” Techno says, sheathing his sword at his hip. 

Tommy lets out a playful growl. He flings himself at Techno, fully intending to try and knock him over, and Techno neatly steps sideways, letting Tommy land face-first in the dirt.

“You’re less intimidating when you do that,” Techno said, laughing down at his younger brother. Tommy looked up him with a scowl, shaking dirt from his hair.

“I hate you.”

Techno laughs then offers him a hand. Tommy bats it away, getting to his feet himself.

“Couldn’t you let me win, just once?”

“Then you wouldn’t learn,” Techno says, smiling. “Come on. Phil’s probably made us lunch by now.”

********

Techno enters the library with his raven-hybrid brother at his side. The smell of books floods his senses, and it reminds him of how much he loves it here. The quiet, the unfiltered knowledge, and most of all, the safety of it.

“Lions,” he mutters, looking through the rows and rows of books. “Lions, lions, lions…”

“Need help looking?” Wilbur’s wandered back over, his arms full of books on music and musicians. 

“Think you’ve got enough books there?” Techno counters. Wilbur looks down at the books in his arms thoughtfully.

“... Maybe?”

Techno snorts, shaking his head. “Idiot. I’m looking for books on lions.”

“Lions?” Wilbur tilts his head, then understanding dawns in his eyes. “Ah. Tommy.”

“I feel like I don’t understand him well enough,” Techno responds as his gaze wanders over the books again. “I want to… Try, I guess.”

Wilbur smiles at him. “I know the feeling. Move over; I’ll help you look.”

Techno steps to the side and keeps looking. Only seconds later, Wilbur is shoving a book into his hands.

“How’d you find that so fast?” Techno asks, surprised. Wilbur shrugs, passing Techno another book.

“I’ve got a good eye, I guess.”

Techno suddenly remembers that ravens have very sharp eyesight. “Ah. That explains it.”

Wilbur passes Techno another book; the pig hybrid peers at the title. This one seems to be about hunting habits and pride dynamics. 

“Did you ever have trouble understanding me or Phil?” Wilbur asks suddenly. Techno shakes his head.

“No. Birds are easy. Phil’s one of the types of doves that live in flocks, so he’s affectionate. You’re a raven; keen eyesight, and you like shiny things.”

“I do  _ not _ ,” Wilbur protests. Techno gestures to the book atop the pile the raven hybrid currently holds; the cover has small bits of shiny stickers scattered all over it. Wilbur hugs the book to his chest to hide the cover, and glares at Techno, flaring his black wings as much as he can in the small space.

“That’s too bad,” Techno says, “I guess you won’t like the birthday gift I had in mind for you.”

Wilbur’s scowl deepens. “You’re a bad person.”

Techno laughs. “Yeah, but you put up with me anyway.”

Wilbur softens a little. “You’re so stupid.”

“Spot any other books on lions?”

“Not any useful ones,” Wilbur replies. “Not unless you want to learn about mating habits.”

“God no,” Techno responds instantly. “These ones’ll do.”

Wilbur laughs and starts making his way towards the front of the library so they can borrow the books. “Good choice.”

As Techno hands his books over to the smiling librarian, he feels a little better. Maybe he’ll understand Tommy a little better after this.

**********

Techno had been pouring over these books for hours. So many things were finally clicking into place.

For instance, when Tommy had been much, much younger, he’d had a habit of biting everyone; sinking his teeth just barely into Techno’s leg as he walked through the house, or into Phil’s shoulder when he hugged him. 

Now, he was learning, this was how young lions learnt aggression. The older lions would usually pretend to be hurt to encourage it. Techno wonders if Tommy would be more or less hostile if they’d have done this for him as a kid.

Male lions also have a habit of forming groups. Techno suspects this has something to do with Tommy’s clingier side.

The more Techno reads, the more he realises that, for the most part, there’s not a lot more he can do to better understand his youngest sibling. He’s always been a chaotic mix of hostile and clingy, a loner yet a people person, and that’s just his nature. 

Still, it helps to know Techno hasn’t been fucking it up this entire time. The door to his room opens; it’s three in the morning, and Techno only has to wonder for a second who it is.

“Techno?”

It’s Tommy. Of course it is. The lion hybrid would often come to him at all hours of the night after having a bad dream, and it seems tonight is no exception.

“I’m up, you didn’t wake me.”

Tommy regards him for a second. “You were reading?”

Techno smiles, holding up the book for a few seconds. “Learning about you, actually. Well, half of you.”

Tommy freezes for a second before he grins, tail swishing behind him. “You stayed up to learn about how superior I am to you?”

Techno leans over, grabs his pillow and throws it at Tommy, who ducks under it easily with a laugh.

“If you’re going to throw things at me I’ll go to Wilbur,” Tommy says, but he’s grinning too wide for Techno to take him seriously. Techno carefully puts down his book.

“Nightmare?” he asks.

“No, just wanted to see you at this ungodly hour,” Tommy responds sarcastically. Techno snorts.

“... Can I get a hug?” Tommy asks after a moment. Techno smiles and barely nods at him before the lion hybrid has thrown himself into his older brother’s arms, and that’s when Techno recalls another thing he knows about lions.

Lions tend to cuddle to reinforce important social bonds. Such as family.

Techno tries not to smile too widely as he brings his arms up around Tommy to hold him securely in place.

*********

“Come at me, bitch,” Tommy says from where he stands, gripping his sword. “I’m going to win this time.”

Techno laughs, unsheathing his own sword. “That doesn’t sound right.”

Techno doesn’t know much about lions. But he knows his own brother. 

Tommy’s chaos. Conflicting actions and words, all bark and no bite, and full of sarcasm. 

Their swords clash. Techno stumbles back a little.

Tommy’s also strong. He’s a predator, and Techno’s almost certain he’s going to do great things one day.

Techno’s sword is knocked from his grip. Tommy stands over him, grinning triumphantly.

“I win!” 

Techno smiles and Tommy’s eyes glean with something that speaks of danger and power. “Yeah, you win.”

But Techno knows more about lions now than he used to. He’ll be damned if he doesn’t try to help his brother grow in the way that he should.

Tommy extends a hand, and Techno takes it; Tommy hauls him up and hands him back his sword. Wilbur gives Techno a knowing look as he and Tommy walk back inside.

Techno can only smile back at him. He knows little about lions. But what he does know, he’ll put to good use.


End file.
